Gathering mechanism for coal-loading machines.



J. F. JOY. GATHERING MECHANISM FOR C'OAL LOADING MACHINES.

' APPLICATION FILED APR. 19. I918.

1 07,009, Patented June 17, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

6 H301 new J. F. JOY. GATHERING MECHANISM FOR COAL LOADING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED,APR.19, 191B.

Patented June 17, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- attorney ha rs aware in anion JOSEPH F. JOY, OF BELLEVERNQN, PENNSYLVANIA, A SSIG'NOR T JOY MACHINE COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH,PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION DIE DELAWARE.

GATHERING MECHANISM FOR COAL-LOADING- MACHINES.

naoaooo.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11?, ildllgo To all whom it may co'ncem:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH F. J or, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, resid- -ing at Belle Vernon, in the county of Fayette and Stateof Pennsylvania, have .invented certain new and useful Improvements inGathering Mechanisms for Coal-Loading Machines, ofwhich the following isa specification. i

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements ingathering mocha ni'sms for coal loading machines, and more particularlyfor that class of loading niaphines adapted to'transfer coal from a minefloor to conveniently placed cars for transportation from the mine, anexample of which is disclosed in my pending application Serial No.132,175, filed November l8, 1916.

i In the mining of coal it is customary to undermine or undercut theface usually to. adepth equal to the thickness of the vein, after whichit is blasted by a charge of eX- plosive. It is very desirable that theamount 5 of explosive used be the very least necessary to loosen thecoal-sufliciently to allow its removal. When the work of loading thecoal is done by hand, it is merely shattered and the miner resorts towedges and crow 0 bars to win the coalfrom the semi-solid state which itis in as the result of a blast, rather than resort to; heavy blastingwhich is attendant with great hazards, such as more or less disastrousmine explosions. In. the customary method of shooting the coal entirelyloose from its natural bed down. onto the floor of the mine, inaddition-to increasing the hazards of mining, the value of the coal isdecreased, due to the pulverizmg effects of the excessive use ofexplosives. In some cases mechanical picks have been used to break thecoal down which also causes an; undesirable amount of fine coal anddust.

V H'eretofore, the gathering mechanisms of to these machines have mostlybeen of such a nature that the coal to be loaded had to be entirelybroken down from the face of the mine before they could effectivelyoperate to engage thecoal and move it onto the conveyer whichtransferred it to the cars.

It is the especial object of the present invention to provide agathering mechanism which will not only move the coal from the minefloor onto the'conveyer, but wfll also form and arrangement of partshereinafter tear or pull down in desirable large lumps the coal whichhas. been shattered but left standing after the face of the vein hasbeen shot, thus materially reducing the quantity of explosivenecessarily used and rendering practically unnecessary the use ofmechanical picks or the breaking down of the coal by hand.

- A further object is to provide a gathering mechanism including aplurality of spaced fingers or arms, means to move said fingers or armstoward each other to longitudinally penetrate the shattered coal andengage behind andgrip the same, and means to bodily move said fingersaway from the coal when in their gripping position to thereby tear downthe coal and move the same onto a conveyer.

A still further object is to @provide a gathering mechanism with amounting means which may be readily adjusted or moved from one side of aconveyer to the other side thereof to gather pillar coal from behindcorners in the mine wall, to insure maximum loading efiieiency for thegathering mechanism under varying conditions and to allow free movementof the coal by the conveyer.

A still further object is to. provide a gathering mechanism yieldablymounted for vertical rocking movement and adjustably i and yieldablymounted for horizontal swing ing movement relative to the conveyer;

A" still further object is to provide a gathering mechanism including apair of spaced pivotally mounted gathering arms and efiective manuallycontrolled power op erated means to swing the arms toward and away fromeach other as well as to bodily move the arms toward and away from theconveyer. Y

With these eneral objects in view and others that wil be apparent whenthe nature of the invention is better understood; the same consists inthe novel combination,

more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyin drawings andpointed out in the append ed claims.

In the drawings forming part of this application and in whlch likedesignating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout theseveral views Figure 1 is a plan iew of a fragment or a loading conveyerwith the preferred embodiment of the present invention assoclatedtherewith in a mine room, the gathering.

. in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view showing the lower portionof the support or mounting post for the gathering nected to parallelspaced endless chains, one

" of Wh1ch is shown at 8 in Fig. 2,

' end of said as at 12.

mechanism in elevation and the side marginal portion of the shoe of theconveyer in verticalsection. v

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail View showing,the lower portionof the support or mounting post for the gathering mechanism in elevationand detached from the shoe of the conveyer, portions of the -opmovingthe post being M crating chain for shown attached thereto.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 3, partly broken away.

Fig. 6- 1s a view, partly in section, dia-" grammatically illustratingthe valve arrangement for controlling the flow of airor water to andfrom de'rs. a Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view, partly broken away,of'themounting member detached, and showing the manner of supportmg theworm 33 for yieldable sliding movement.

In carrying out the embodiment of the invention herein illustrated, thegathering mechanism isassoiated with the usual conveyer 5 whichtransfers the coal to conveniently placed cars. The discharge end theoperating cylinof this conveyer is usually suitably supported on andabove a wheeled truck the required distance above the floor of the mineand sad conveyer extends or inclines downwardly as shown, the same beingprovided with a substantially horizontal shoe portion 6 adapted to restupon and slidealon the floor. The conveyor 5 is preferably 0 the wellknown chain and scraper type whose transverse scraper bars 7 (seeFig. 1) are suitably spaced and have their ends conpassing around thesprocket wheel 9 and lying above and below the partition 10.

The marginal portion 11 of the shoe 6 is inclined downwardly to form anapproach or mclmed way at the sides and forward shoe up which the coalis moved onto the convey-er, and the substalntially horizontal portion1201' the shoe 6 adjacent and concentric to the portion 11 is. slottedBelow the slot 13 form of web 14 which with said 'slot forms an nvertedsubstantially T-shaped guideway (see Fig. 3) extending along both sides31 and operated by is a channel of the shoe and across the front endthereof, said guideway being openat the rear end of the shoe at 15 and16.

A vertical supporting enlarged base 18 slidably portion 12 is providedwith a pair of downwardly projecting headed studs 19 positioned in theguideway formed by the slot 13 post 17 having an and web 14, upwarddisplacement of the 1 post 17 away from the shoe 6 being prevented bythe heads 20 of said studs 19. A sprocket chain 21 has one of its endsattached as at 22 to a laterally projecting lug 23 formed on one ofthestuds 19 and said sprocket chain is extended in around the forwardportion of the shoe 6 and then backwardly along one side thereof out theopen end 16- of said guideway. From this point, the chain is passedaround a sprocket wheel 24 into the guideway at the resting on the shoe70 the guideway open end 15 thereof and has its other end attached as at25 to the lug 26 extending laterally. from the other stud 19.

end portion of a vertical suitably supported rotatableshaft 27 having anoperating crank handle 28 on the upper end thereof, and it will bereadily apparent that rotationof said handle 28, shaft 27 andsprocketwheel 24 will cause movement of the chain 21 in the 'guidewayin adirection corresponding with the direction of rotation imparted to wheel24, thus imparting similar movement to post 17.

The 29' open at the upper end of said post 17 and OurnaIed in thissocket is the stem 30 of the mounting member 31. The upper end of thepost 17 has a worm gear 32. rigid therewith which meshes with a worm 33keyed on a rotatable shaft 34 suitably supported from and by themounting member a hand wheel 35. Itwill be evident that a rotation ofwheel 35 will cause axial rotation of worm 33 and, by reason of thepost17 being held against rotation by the stu s 19 in the shoe guideway,said worm 33 will also orbi-tally move around the worm gear 32 andthereby horizontallyrotate the mounting member 31 and 1 partssubstantially rigid therewith which includes the gathering mechanism per86 to be hereinafter described.

Projecting upwardly from the mounting The f sprocket wheel 24 is securedon the lower post 17 has an axial bearing socket- .member 31 is a pairof lugs 36 pivotally conparts connected thereto, which movement is 126yleldingly resisted by helical compression springs 39 and 40 arrangedbetween the cylinder 38 and member 31 forwardly and rearwardly of thelugs 36 and 37.

Cylinder 38 has the usual form of recipro- 130 J D to the piston rod 41.Rod 41 extends through arms 43 and 44 are provided with upper.

cable piston arranged therein and connected the forward end of cylinder38 to a point somewhat in advance of the latter Where it is rigidlyconnected to a cross bar 42 having a pair of 'imdermining gathering armsor fingers 43 and 44 hinged to the ends thereof for-horizontal swingingmovement toward and away from each other. The gathering substantiallyhorizontal portions 45 and 46 from which extend depending substantiallyvertical portions 47 and 48 whose lower ends are directed horizontallyand forwardly as at 49 and 50 for a short distance and then laterally inopposite directions toward each other to form a pair of substantiallypointed claws 51 and 52.

A pair of guide rods 53 and 54 are arranged at opposite sides of andparallel with the piston rod 41 and "have their forward ends rigidlysecured to the cross bar 42, while their other ends are slidably ex-,.

tended through longitudinal bores formed in the laterally extendingguide lugs 55 and 56 formed on opposite sides of the cylinder 38. i

A pair of pressure cylinders 57 and 58, somewhat smaller than thecylinder 38, are provided, respectively having their rear ends pivotallyconnected as at 59 and 60 to the guide rods 53and 54. The cylinders '57and 58 have the usual form of reciprocable pistons therein and extendingfrom said pistons are piston rods .61 and 62 which are respectivelypivotally connected at their forward ends to the upper horizontalportions 45 and 46 of the gathering arms 43 and 44 as at 63 and 64.

Suitably supported upon the forward end of the cylinder 38 are threemanually operable turn plugs or valves 65, 66 and 67 which arerespectively utilized to control the operthe forward end portion of thecylinder 57.

ation of the pistons in the cylinders 38, 57, and 58 as will presentlybe apparent. A flexible conduit or hose 68 extends from a suitable meansfor supplying fluid under pressure and is-connected by branches 69, 70and 71 with inlet ports 72, 73, and 74 of the valves 65, 66 and 67, saidvalves being respectively provided with two outlet ports 75, 76, and 77and exhaust ports 78, 79 and 80. A conduit 81 is connected to one of theoutlet ports of the valve 65 and extends rearwardly to and into the rear82 is connected to the other port 75 and extends into the'forward end ofcylinder 38. A slightly,flexible conduit 83 is connected.to one of theports 76 of valve 66 and extends forwardly to and into the rear endportion of the cylinder 57, while a similar conduit 8.4 is connected tothe other port 76 and extends forwardly to and into A slightly flexibleconduit 85 is connected to one of the ports 77 of valve 67 and extendsforwardly to and into the rear end portion of the cylinder 58, while asimilar conduit 86 is connected to the other port '7 7 and extendsforwardly to and into the forward end portion of cylinder 58. Therotatable members of the valves 65, 66 and 67 each have a pair ofoppositely curved passageways therethrough as shown clearly in Fig. 6and when the movable member of valve 65 is in the position shown in thisfigure, fluid or air under pressure is supplied through conduit 81behind the piston in cylinder 38 to force the rod 41 and parts connectedthereto including the gathering arms 43 and 44 forwardly toward thematerial to be gathered, said arms 43 and 44 being separated at suchtime as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. After them-ms 43 each other tothe position indicated by full lines in Fig. 1 wherein the same areengaged behind and gripping part of the material, it being noted thatthe claws or working portions 51 and 5:2 of the arms 43 and 44, whenmoved toward each other, longitudinally penetrate the material. 1en the'gathering arms are in the gripping position. the movable member of valve65 is turned toward the left for a partial revolution, thus establishingcommunication between conduit 81 and exhaust port '71 and between inletbranch 69 and conduit 82. This exhausts the motive agent from thecylinder 38 behind the piston therein and simultaneously supplies themotive agent to said cylinder in front of the piston therein, therebycausing a rearward movement of rod 41, gathering arms 43 and 44 etc. totear down the coal and move the same toward and onto the conveyer 5.

' As shown in Fig. 7, shaft .34 is journaled 1n depending spacedbrackets 31' rigid with the mounting member 31, and worm 33 is keyed onshaft 34 to longitudinally slide thereon. "orm 33 is yieldablymaintained substantially midway between the brackets 31 by means ofsprings 34', one of which surrounds shaft 34 at each side of said worm,and this construction allows the gathering mechanism per se to bodilyyieldably swing horizontally. J

From the foregoing description, the operation of the present inventionwill be readily understood, it being noted that when the gathering arms43 and 44 move toward the handle 28 in the shoe 6, said arms will beallowed to ride up the inclined portion 11 by reason of the provision ofthe pivotal connection 36-37. By rotating the hand wheel 35, thegathering mechanism may be swung horizontally at any desired angle tothe coal from any part of the face of the vein, while the supportingmeans including post 17 may be moved to any desiredposition at eitherside of the shoe 6 by rotating the proper direction, it being noted thatwhen the gathering arms are positioned to one side of the shoe 6, thepost 17 is preferably located at the other side thereof so as not tointerfere with the movement of the coal by conveyer 5.

IVhile the form of the invention herein shown and described is thatwhich is believed to be the preferred embodiment thereof, it isnevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

lVhat I claim as new is 1. The combination with a conveyer having a shoeportion at the forward end thereof, a gathering mechanism, and meanscarried by said shoe portion to support said gathering mechanism, ofmeans to move said supporting means to either side of said shoe portion.

2. The'combination with ing a shOe portion at the forward end there-- ofand a guideway adjacent to and along the margin of said shoe portion, agathering mechanism, and means carried by said shoe portion;aridfinovable in said guideway to support said gathering mechanism, ofmeans to move said supporting means in said guideway to any desiredpoint along and adjacent to the margin of the shoe portion.

3. The combination with a conveyer having a shoe portion at the forwardend thereof, a gathering mechanism, and means carried by said shoeportion to support said gathering mechanism, of means to move saidsupporting means to any desired point along and adjacent to the marginofthe shoe portion.

4. The combination with a conveyer having a gathering mechanism atthelower forward end thereof, and means to support said gatheringmechanism, of means to move said supporting means to either side of saidconveyer.

5. In combination, a conveyor shoe portion having a downwardly inclinedmargin and a substantially horizontal portion concentric and adjacent tosaid inclined margin provided with a guideway, a supporting memberguidedin said guideway, a gathering mechanism yieldingly supported forvertical rocking movement by said supporting member and includinggathering members movable up and down said inclined margin,

conveyer 5 to gather a conveyer hav-' ed for horizontal having its endsconnected to and end thereof, means to support said gathering mechanismfor horizontal movement, means to horizontally move said gatheringmechanism, and means to move said supporting means to either side ofsaid conveyer.

8. In oombinatioii, a conveyer having a shoe portion at the forward endthereof, a

gathering mechanism, means carried by said shoe portion to support saidgathering mechanism for horizontal and vertical movements, means tohorizontally move said gathering mechanism, and means to move saidsupporting means to either side of said shoe portion.

9. In combination, a conveyer shoe portion having a guideway along, andadjacent to the margin thereof, a gathering mechanism, asupportingmember for said gathering mechanism on which the latter is mountswingingmovement and having its lower end retained and guided in said guideway,swing said gathering mechanism, and means to move said supportingmemberinsaid guideway.

10. A device of the class described including a vertical supporting posthaving an axial bearing socket open at the upper end thereof. a mountingmember having a stem journaled in said socket, means associated withsaid post and said mounting member to rotate the latter, and anundermining coal gathering mechanism pivoted to said mounting member forvertical rocking movement.

11. In combination, a conveyer shoelportion having a guideway along andadjacent to the margin thereof,. a gathering mechanism supporting postguided in said guideway, a flexible member in said guideway extendingmeans to horizontallyfrom opposite sides of said supporting post, a

and means to longitudinally move ble member in said guideway. u

12. A device of the class described in cluding a supporting member, apressure cylinder carried by said supporting member and having a crossbar rigidly secured to the outer end of the piston rod thereof, a

pair of gathering arms carried by said.

cross bar, a pair of pressure cylinders, each (piston rods pivoted tosaid having their piston rods operatively connected to one of saidgathering arms and means to control the o eration of said cylinders tocause said gat iering arms to move toward and away from each other andto bodily reciprocate said gathering arms in unison.

13. A device of the class described including a supporting post, apressure cylinder pivotally carried by said supporting post for verticalrocking movement, a piston rod associated with said cylinder and havinga cross bar rigidly secured to its outer end, gathering arms pivoted tosaid cross bar in spaced relation, guide rods connected to said crossbar, a pair of pressure cylindels pivoted to said guide rods and havinggathering arms, means to control supply of motive agent to the firstnamed cylinder to reciprocate the piston rod thereof and the gatheringarms connected therewith, and means to control the supply of motiveagent to the pair of cylinders to cause the gathering arms to swingtoward and away from each other.

14. In comblnation, an lncllned. conveyer,

a gathering mechanism supported on the lower end of said conveyer forlateral movement and including a pair of spaced arms to engage materialand move it onto the conveyer, means to move said arms toward each otherin laterally extending paths, means to laterally move said gatheringmechanism, and means to allow said gathering mechanism to move laterallywhen either of said arms encounters a relatively immovable object.

15. In combination, an inclined conveyer, a gathering mechanismsupported on the lower end of said conveyer for horizontal swingingmovement and including a pair of spaced arms to-engage material and moveit onto the conveyer, means to move said arms toward each other inlaterally extending paths, means to horizontally swing said,

gathering mechanism, and means to allow said gathering mechanism toswing horizontally when either of said arms encounters a relativelyimmovable object.

16. In combination with aninclined conveyer, a gatheringmechanismmounted on v the lower end'thereof including a pivotally mountedgathering arm, means to swing said arm laterally to longitudinallypenetrate material, and means to bodily move the arm toward and awayfrom the conveyer.

17. A device of the class described including a supporting member, apressure cylinder carried by said supporting member, a piston rodassociated with said pylindenand having a cross bar rigidly secured toits outer end, guide lugs carried by said cylinder, a pair of guide rodsguided in said lugs and rigidly secured to said cross bar, gatheringarms pivoted to said cross bar in spaced relation, ressure cylinderspivoted to said guide ro s and having piston rods pivoted to saidgathering arms, and means to control the operation of said cylinders.

18. A device of the class described includinga vertical supporting posthaving an axial bearing socket open at the upper end thereof, a mountingmember having a stem journaled in said socket, means associated withsaid post and said mounting member to rot-ate the latter, and a coalgathering mechanism carried by said mounting member including a pair ofundermining gathering arms movable horizontally toward and away fromeach other.

l9. The combination with a coal gathering mechanism for coal loadingmachines, and a supporting post therefor, said gathering mechanismincluding a pair otR undermining gathering arms movable horizontallytoward and away from each other, of means interposed between said postand, said gathering mechanism to allow horizontal swinging and verticalrocking movements of the latter, and means to horizontally swing saidgathering mechanism.

20. The combination with a coal gathering mechanism for coal loadingmachines, and a supporting post therefor, said gathering mechanismincluding a pair of undermining gathering arms movable horizontallytoward and away from each other, of a mounting member interposed betweensaid post and said gathering mechanism to allow horizontal swinging andvertical rocking movements of the latter, means to horizon- -tally swingsaid gathering mechanism, and means interposed between said mountingmember and said gathering mechanism to yieldingly resist 'verticalrocking movement of the latter. 21. In combination with an inclinedconveyer, a coal gathering mechanism mounted a on the lower end thereofincluding a plural ity of undermining horizontally movable gatheringarms, means to move said arms horizontally toward each other tolongitudinally penetrate shattered coal and engage behind and grip partof the same, and means to bodily horizontally move said arms away fromthe coal when in-their gripping position to tear down the coal and movethe same onto the conveyer.

In' combination with an inclined con veyer, a coal gathering mechanismmounted on the lower end thereof including a pair of spaced undermininghorizontally movable gathering arms, means to move said armshorizontally toward and away from each other, and means to bodilyhorizontally move 'the arms in unison toward and away from the conveyer.

23. In combination with an inclined conveyer, a coal gathering mechanismmounted on the lower end thereof including a pair of spaced pivotallymounted undermining gathering arms, means to horizontally swing saidarms toward and away from each other, and means to bodily horizontallymove the arms in unison toward and away from the conveyer.

24. In combination with an inclined conveyer, a coal gathering mechanismmounted on the lower end thereof including a pair of spaced pivotallymounted undermining gathering arms, manually controlled power operatedmeans to horizontally swing said arms toward and away from each other,and manually controlled power operated means to bodily horizontally movethe arms in unison toward and away from the conveyer.

25. In a loading machine, an inclinedv con- 'veyer, a gatheringmechanism including a supporting structure yieldably mounted on thelower end of said conveyer for horizon tal swinging movement, saidgathering mechanism including an undermining gathering arm carried bysaid supporting structure, and means to swing said arm horizontallyrelative to said supporting structure.

26. A device of the class described ineluding asupporting structure, ahorizontal cross bar connected thereto, a pair of hori zontalundermining gathering arms carried by said'cross bar, a pair of motors,each operatively connected to one of said gathering arms, means tocontrol the operation of said motors to cause said gathering arms tomove horizontally toward and away from each other, and motor operatedmeans to bodily horizontally reciprocate said arms in unison.

27. In a coal loading machine, a gathering mechanism including aplurality of gathering members, means to cause said members to penetrateand engage behind part of the zontally swing said gathering mechanism,

and means to move said supporting member to either side of said shoeportion.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

- JOSEPH F. JOY.

